


Don't give up

by asamandra



Series: When darkness surrounds us [4]
Category: Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Medical Inaccuracies, but it's not permanent, it's critical, one of them dies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-04 19:13:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3084557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asamandra/pseuds/asamandra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone shot at Clint and Tony and they are in a critical condition.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“TOOOONNYYY!!” Bruce yelled when the bullet hit Clint, went through his body and left through Tony's back.

Mere seconds ago Tony had wrapped his arms around his lover for the first time since his assumed death, for the first time in nearly two years. Bruce couldn't hold back a smile, he was happy for them and he saw the same relief on his team mates faces. But then they had heard the shot and both men fell down in a pool of blood. Bruce hurried to their side together with Kate and Natasha while Steve and Thor turned to follow the attackers. 

“Bruce?” Natasha asked nervously and Bruce had to admit he had never seen her as shaken as right now. Clint was her best friend and to get him back after all this time and then to lose him the next moment was too much, even for someone with Natasha's background and training. “Bruce, please,” she asked again after a second but then she knelt down beside Kate and cradled Clint's head in her lap.

Bruce pressed his hand onto Tony's chest while Kate held Clint's wounds closed.

“They are alive,” he pressed through his teeth. “I have no idea how but they are alive.” 

Agent Jensen, the pilot, ran over to them.

“I've called for help, sir,” he said and stared at the two heavily bleeding men on the ground. Steve and Thor came back, both looked disgruntled and dirty. 

“Are they...” Steve asked and when Bruce shook his head slightly he sighed with relief. “But how...” 

“When Tony put his arms around him, Clint's knees gave in. Tony moved and grabbed him and I think that saved them,” Kate said quietly. Maybe her eyes weren't as good as Clint's but they were still far better than the rest of the teams. Of course she had seen those tiny details.

“Where's the fucking ambulance,” Natasha muttered and petted Clint's head. Bruce couldn't believe it. After nearly two years they finally found him and then someone shot at him and Tony. Blood trickled over Kate's and his hands and Tony became paler and paler. And Clint was losing lots of blood, too. Not as much as Tony since the bullet went _only_ through his shoulder while it hit Tony close to his heart. 

“I can hear them,” Steve suddenly said and all their heads moved in the same direction. Two ambulances came, stopped with squealing tires and only a few seconds later the EMT's ran over to them. Bruce told them what happened but when they took over he stepped back and let them do their job. After all, he wasn't a medical doctor. It took only a few minutes and they had Clint and Tony on stretchers and in the vans and with wailing sirens they took off. 

The Avengers stayed back in the middle of the chaos. Burning cars, a hole in one of the streets and crying and confused people stared at them. More ambulances arrived to treat the injured but luckily no one has died. Steve straightened his back and went over to them while Bruce tried to wipe the blood on his hands off onto his shirt. He didn't care about it, he bought them in family size packages. He could throw it away without feeling bad. 

Agent Jensen came to them and looked at the chaos. “A few teams are on their way but I guess the evil guys are gone,” he said. 

Thor nodded slowly. “These cowards hid between the fleeing townsfolk. We could not discover them between the people.” 

“Bastards,” Natasha muttered. 

“We'll get them,” Kate said, a grim expression on her face and Bruce nodded. 

“Of course we'll get them,” Steve, who came back, said and put his shield back onto his back. “They will pay for what they did to them.” 

Bruce frowned at him. He had never seen Steve as angry as right now. “Right. But now I want to see how Clint and Tony are doing.” 

“I can fly you to the hospital, sir,” Agent Jensen suggested. Bruce looked at Steve and finally, after a long moment, he nodded. The Avengers went to the waiting quinjet, Bruce went in and after a second Kate and Natasha followed him. 

“We will follow you as soon as everything is resolved here. But please, let us know if something happens,” Thor said and together with Steve the two went back to help the people, together with the just arriving SHIELD-teams.


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as the Dr. Spencer, a gray-haired man in his late forties, entered the waiting room all of the Avengers rose. He was the one who operated on Clint. 

“How is he?” Kate was the first who asked but the whole team wanted to know. 

“He's stable. It was a penetrating gunshot wound but Mr. Barton was incredibly lucky, the bullet didn't leave too much damage. He's in recovery room right now and when he's awake _one_ of you can go to him,” the doctor said. “We also treated his other injuries,” he added then. 

“The other injuries?” Bruce asked and the doctor nodded.

“He had two broken ribs, a hairline fracture in one of his wrists and a twisted knee, additional to all those torture marks. Not to mention all the healed injuries. You want to tell me what happened to this man?” 

“Sorry, sir,” Steve said and sighed. “It's classified. But Clint will survive, right?” 

The doctor nodded again. 

“Do you know anything about Tony?” Bruce asked then and the doctor sighed.

“Sorry, sir. But I've been otherwise engaged. As far as I know his injuries are more complicated but my colleague can tell you more later.” 

“Yeah, sure,” Bruce nodded and then the doctor looked at his watch.

“I'm sorry, I have the next surgery waiting,” he said and left. 

“He's okay,” Natasha said when she saw Kate's face. “He will wake up soon, Katie,” she put her arm around the younger woman in an unexpected gesture of sympathy. But the rest of the team knew they both needed the reassurance. 

“Okay, I think I'll get us some coffee,” Bruce finally said and left the waiting room. He walked a few steps but then he had to stop. He leaned himself against the wall and closed his eyes. This was so fucked up. When he saw Tony wrap his arms around Clint he thought, he really thought everything would finally get better and then, only a few seconds later they both nearly died. And for a second he had really thought it could be better. 

“You okay, Bruce?” He heard a voice and opened his eyes. Steve stood there and watched him. 

“Yeah... no. Not really. I mean...” 

“I know. And we find whoever did this.” 

“After all that happened... I've thought the two deserved some happiness. But it lasted just a few seconds. How fucked up is this, Steve? I mean, we're saving the world on a daily basis and this?” He threw his arms in the air in desperation. “Who's next? You? Me? Thor? Natasha? Or Kate?” 

“Bruce, I...” Steve started but Bruce shook his head.

“I'm not sure if I can... if I _want_ to do this any longer.” He gestured vaguely in the direction of the waiting room. 

“I don't think this is the right time and the right place to make such a momentous decision, Bruce,” Steve said and put his arm on his shoulder.

“I know, Steve. I'll stay till we have them but then I need to take some time off. I... I need to think about all this.” 

“I understand. And you can take as much time as you need. But please, stay till we have the guys who did that to them, okay?” 

Bruce nodded. “Don't worry, I won't want to miss _that_.”

“Steve?” Kate came around the corner, saw the two men and stopped for a second. “Uhm... the doctor is here,” she pointed back at the waiting room and both men shared a glance and followed her then.

In the waiting room waited a tired looking woman, mid-forties, small but tough, with short, blond hair. She still wore her scrubs and when Bruce, Steve and Kate came back she nodded at them.

“Hi, I'm Dr. Christine Rothman,” she introduced herself.

“How's Tony?” Natasha asked directly and Dr. Rothman took a deep breath.

“Honestly, it's critical. The projectile grazed his heart. Luckily the shrapnels he had had in his chest are removed, otherwise he wouldn't have survived. He flatlined twice during surgery but right now he's stable. We placed him in an artificial coma,” she said but then she saw the horrified expressions and then she added. “It's just as a precaution. But we need him to lie as unmovable as possible.” 

“When...” Bruce started but Dr. Rothman shook her head. 

“I can't tell you. But at least forty-eight hours,” she said.

“Can we see him?” Steve asked and the doctor scrutinized him for a long moment. 

“One of you. And just for a few minutes when he's in ICU. A nurse will come for you.” 

“Thanks, doc,” Steve smiled thankfully. 

“So, what's with this promised coffee?” Kate asked and smirked at Bruce and the older man huffed a laugh.

“Sorry,” he said and left, this time to actually get some coffee. 

“I can ask Lady Eir to come to Midgard, to take a look on Tony, if you want me to,” Thor, who's been quiet the whole time they waited for the doctors, finally said. “She is a healer, the best in Asgard,” he explained when he saw Steve's puzzled expression. 

“I don't know. Maybe...” he sighed and then he shook his head. “I don't know, Thor. Talk to her, tell her what happened to Tony and let her decide if she's needed, okay?” 

“I will do that,” Thor said and left the waiting room just the moment when Bruce came back, a tray with paper cups in his hand. 

“Well,” Natasha took two of the cups, “when Thor leaves, more coffee for me.”


	3. Chapter 3

When a nurse entered the waiting room to tell them that Clint was awake and two of them could go to him the team shared glances. But then, after a few seconds of silent conversation, Natasha and Kate rose and followed her. 

Clint lay in a bed, his hands on the cover and bandages around his chest. Beside him was a heart monitor and other stuff Kate didn't recognize. He had his eyes closed but as soon as they entered he opened them and a small smile appeared on his face.

“Hey,” he whispered and Kate couldn't hold back, she hurried to his bedside and wrapped her arms around him, as far as possible. But when he groaned she stepped back and cleared her throat.

“I'm glad that you're alive,” she said and Clint's small smile became a little broader. Natasha went to the other side of the bed and when he looked up at her she smiled and said, “Dito.” 

“Yeah, I'm glad, too,” he licked his lips. “Tony?” 

Of course this was his first question. They hadn't expected anything else.

“He's alive but they hat to place him in an artificial coma,” Natasha explained.

“What?” Clint asked and tried to rise but both, Natasha and Kate, grabbed him, very carefully, and held him in his bed. 

“No, you stay where you are. It was a precautionary move, Clint, just to make sure he doesn't rip open his wound accidentally,” Kate said and Clint closed his eyes for a second. 

“But he's alive, right? It's not the same shit as with Phil, right?” He asked, his voice desperate.

“Yes, he's alive. As soon as they have him in ICU, Steve will go to him and then we will tell you about his condition,” Natasha said and finally Clint nodded and closed his eyes. 

“Thanks,” he smiled and swallowed. 

“How...” Kate started but then she stopped herself, looked at Natasha, sighed and continued her question, “How are you, Clint?” 

The archer turned his head to Kate and the small smile appeared again on his lips. “Hurts,” he said. “But I'm okay.” 

Natasha and Kate both raised her brows. They knew about Clint's high pain-tolearance, but only a few hours ago a bullet penetrated his body, not to mention all the _old_ injuries and nearly two years of torture.

“I'm back, I'm okay,” he repeated. Kate frowned but apparently Natasha understood. The fact that he wanted to get back to Tony kept him alive. And now he was back. “Do you know who shot at us?” He asked and Kate snorted a laugh. 

“No. Not yet. We've been busy taking care of you and Tony. But we will find them. Steve is... well... a little bit gung-ho.” 

Natasha had watched them but now she couldn't hold back a frustrated huff. “Why aren't you angry at us? Why do you not yell at us? We never came for you, Clint. Why are you so fucking calm?” She snapped and Clint closed his eyes.

“They showed me a video from the funeral. You've thought I'm dead. There was no reason for you to search for me. I knew that,” Clint said quietly and Kate paled.

“They... they showed you?” She asked, remembering the day when she sat beside the casket, holding Tony in her arms while the older man refused to let the undertaker lower it down into the earth. Clint nodded and swallowed again. 

“Thirst,” he mumbled and Natasha turned without comment and went to search for a nurse. 

“How did he cope?” He asked when he and Kate were alone in the room. Kate shook her head. 

“Badly. He missed you, he didn't eat, he didn't sleep, he still builds trick arrows for you, you know. And then there's the bow. He build the most beautiful bow I've ever seen but no one is allowed to touch it. He said it's yours. He tried to find someone else but... he forgot about her. She left him and he didn't even care.” 

A single tear left Clint's left eye. But when he opened to reply Natasha came back with a nurse in tow. 

“I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to leave Mr. Barton alone now, he needs to rest,” the nurse said. She held a plastic cup with ice chips and a plastic spoon in her hand and when both, Kate and Natasha nodded, she let a few of the chips drop in Clint's mouth. 

“We keep you updated about Tony's condition, okay?” 

He smiled again. “Thanks, Tash, Katie-Kate.” The two women smiled, too.


	4. Chapter 4

It was Bruce who entered Tony's room. At first he had thought Steve would want to go but Steve said, it was better he would take a look since he worked as _doctor_ everywhere in the world. 

Tony lay in a bed, covered to his hip and bandages around his torso. With a quick glance he checked the monitors around him but the doctor was right, he was stable. For now. He took the chart and flipped through it but it just told him the same, he was stable and he needed time – and prayers – to get better.

At the wall beside the door Bruce could see a chair and he went over, placed it beside the bed and sat down. 

“Hey, Tony,” he whispered. People in a coma could often hear what is said around them. He had no idea if it was the same with an artificial coma but it couldn't hurt either. 

“Clint is here, he's alive. You saved him, Tony. You freed him. And we have the guy who... who bought him. He will never see daylight again, Fury promised.” 

He wiped his face and leaned back, removed his glasses and slowly cleaned them with a corner of his shirt. And then he sighed.

“Don't give up, Tony. You've fought too hard to give up now,” he said before he rose and left the room.

“How's he doing?” Steve asked when Bruce came back to the waiting room. 

“He's lying in a bed, Steve.” 

Steve blushed. But once again Bruce sighed and sat down. He was so damn tired. 

“Sorry. It's just... you know. The situation,” Bruce said and Steve nodded. 

“I understand.” 

“He seems stable so far, his levels are okay, given that he's in an artificial coma. But...” 

He got interrupted by Kate and Natasha entering. They all looked at the two women but when Natasha raised her hands he continued.

“But it's still critical,” he finished. 

“Clint's okay so far,” Kate said and sat down. “He asked for Tony and we've talked to one of the doctors. They are transferring him to Tony's room. They agree that it may be helpful for both of them.”

“Really?” Bruce furrowed his brows. “They agreed to that?” 

“Natasha was very convincing. They already moved him,” Kate smiled and Natasha only shrugged. 

“They haven't seen each other in nearly two years. I've thought they deserve some time together, even if Tony is currently in this coma. Maybe he _feels_ Clint's presence and it helps him heal.” 

“It can't hurt,” Steve nodded. 

“Guys? Something is going on,” Kate suddenly said and pointed at the open door. A bunch of doctors and nurses with a crash cart hurried into Tony's room. 

“Shit!” Bruce cursed and followed them and then the rest of the team did the same. 

“Don't give up, Tony, don't give up! Don't you dare give up!” They heard Clint yell and through the glass door they saw a nurse trying to drag him away from Tony while the doctors already had started to reanimate him. Bruce saw Clint's shoulder bleeding again but apparently he didn't care, he tried to get back to Tony. 

Dr. Rothman knelt beside Tony and pressed his chest with her hands again and again and again but the monitor beside his bed showed still a flat line. One of the nurses injected something into his PVC.

“Why don't they use a defibrillator?” Kate asked and Bruce licked his lips. 

“I'm not sure. Maybe it's too risky since he just had a heart surgery. I'm not a surgeon.”

The doctor's movements became more frantic and they finally took the defibrillator. They stepped back and Dr. Rothman shocked Tony, his body arched and slumped back onto the bed but the line on the monitor was still that, just a line. 

“Come on, Tony,” Steve murmured beside Bruce and Clint struggled against two nurses now. They shocked Tony again and then again but nothing happened. And then Dr. Rothman stepped back, wiped her face and looked at her watch. 

“Time of death, 10.37 pm.”


	5. Chapter 5

_White._

_Everything was white._

_The pain was gone._

_It was quiet._

_Almost._

_ 'Tony! Nooo!' _

_There was a light in front of him. And it was beautiful. He smiled and made a step in its direction._

_“What do you think you are doing here?” A voice asked. He stopped. He hadn't heard this voice in what felt like ages._

_“Dad?” He asked and then he saw a figure stepping out of the light and walking up to him._

_“What are you doing here?”_

_“I don't know. Where am I?”_

_“Turn around, Tony. Your time hasn't come yet.”_

_He tried to turn around._

_“I can't.”_

_“Do you want to give up?” The voice asked again and he blinked a few times._

_“The pain. It's gone,” he said and the voice nodded. And that didn't even make sense. How could a voice nod. But he knew that it was true._

_“You are not supposed to give up, Tony.”_

_“I can't go back, dad. Everything back there hurts.”_

_ 'Tony, please! _

_“You've fought too hard to give up now. Turn around, Tony.”_

_He tried it but it was too difficult. And the light in front of him, it was so beautiful. He wanted to go to the light._

_“I can't.”_

_“Yes, you can. And you will. You are a Stark, Tony. Do you know what that name means?” The voice asked. But it didn't wait for an answer. “Stark is a German word and it means strong and powerful. You are strong, Tony. You can turn back.”_

_“But when I turn around then there will be pain, nothing but pain.”_

_ 'Please, don't leave me!' _

_“This man back there... he's the one you love?”_

_“Yes, dad. I love him.”_

_“You're killing him, you know that.”_

_“No, he's safe now. He's free.”_

_“Do you know what kept him alive all the time he was a prisoner? The thought to see you again. What do you think will happen when you stay here? Do you really think he will survive that?”_

_“I can't go back. I've tried. I can't turn around.”_

_“Yes, Tony. You can do it. Your time hasn't come yet. And your man needs you.”_

_Wetness._

_Something dropped onto his face._

_He raised his hand and touched his cheek. It was wet. He teared his eyes away from the light and..._

_… turned._

_Lips._

_Warm, dry lips. On his lips._

_“You can do it, son.”_

_He felt warm lips on his and he turned around. The white was gone._

_There was a hospital room. A man lying in a bed._ He _was lying in a bed. Another man... Clint... holding onto him. Other people stood around, tried to drag him away._

_ 'No! No, Tony! Don't give up! _

_He touched his lips. He smiled. And made a step in Clint's direction._

_And the pain was back._

 

 

 

**Beep**


	6. Chapter 6

“Mr. Barton,” Dr. Rothman tried to calm Clint who wanted to get back to Tony's lifeless body. “Mr. Barton, please, you have to...” she said but then he managed to get out of the nurses' grip. In an instant he was at Tony's side. One of his tears dropped onto Tony's cheek.

“Tony, please! Please, don't leave me!” He yelled and touched his face, kissed Tony's blue lips. The beeping noise was unnerving and Dr. Rothman turned to one of the nurses and asked her to switch off the heart monitor.

“Mr. Barton, he's dead. I've tried everything but...”

“No! No, Tony! Don't give up!” Clint yelled and grabbed Tony's hand when the nurses once again tried to pull him away.

“You're going to rip open your wounds, Mr. Barton. Please, you have to calm down,” one of the nurses tried her luck.

“I don't give a shit,” Clint screamed and just as the other nurse wanted to switch off the heart monitor they heard a sound that made them stop in an instant. It beeped. And then again. 

“Oh my god,” Dr. Rothman muttered and hurried to Tony's side immediately. 

“Tony!” Clint breathed relieved and the nurses finally let him go to him. 

“I can't believe it,” the doctor checked Tony over. “This... it's impossible. He's been dead for minutes.” 

“I knew you wouldn't leave me,” Clint kissed the unconscious man again and let the tears run over his face but this time they were tears of joy. The door opened and Bruce came in, quietly, touched Clint's shoulder, the uninjured one. 

“Come on, Clint. Let Dr. Rothman have some space,” he said and, reluctantly, Clint gave in, nodded and stepped back. He watched them working on Tony.

“How's that possible, Bruce?” Clint asked and looked at the older man.

“He's a fighter,” Bruce smiled and steered Clint over to the second bed in the room. “Lie down,” he said and Clint obeyed. He took a look at the suture but Clint hadn't ripped it open. 

“He's alive?” Clint asked. Bruce looked over his shoulder where Dr. Rothman and a nurse still worked on Tony but the heart monitor showed a steady heartbeat. 

“Yes, Clint. He's alive. He's still in that coma but he's alive.” 

“Okay,” he said and sat down on the bed. “Okay. But he will survive, right?” 

Bruce looked over to Dr. Rothman. The woman had heard him and when Bruce looked at her, she nodded. 

“Yes, Clint. He will survive.” 

The doctor came over to them. 

“I have no idea how this is possible, Mr. Barton. But his sinus rhythm is stable. This is... I have no idea.” 

“But this is good, right?” 

“Yes, it is. Lie down now, Mr. Barton. You need rest, too.”

“Okay, doc,” Clint smiled and Bruce patted his shoulder. 

“Don't worry, everything will be fine,” he said and when Clint nodded he smiled and turned to leave. He looked over at Tony and it seemed as if he was smiling, too.


	7. Chapter 7

Bruce came over when the hospital called him. Today they wanted to wake up Tony and check the possible damage to his brain. He was dead for a few minutes after all. 

He knocked at the door to the room Clint shared with Tony, but he didn't wait, he just opened the door and entered. Clint, who sat beside Tony's bed and held his hand, scrambled up, knocked over the stool and pressed his hands against the wall. Bruce wanted to slap the back of his head. Of course the younger man was easily startled, after all that happened to him in the last two years and he just entered the room without proper warning or time to react.

“Clint,” he said, his hand raised to show him that he was no threat. Clint's breathing was still too fast but he seemed to recognize him, Bruce. “I'm sorry, Clint. It's just me, Bruce.” 

“Okay,” came his reply after a very long, very tense moment. “I... I thought...” he started but Bruce shook his head.

“No, it was my fault. I didn't think,” he said and slowly, still both of his hands raised, he drew closer to the bed, to the other side so Tony was between them. Clint calmed down, slowly and he went to pick up the stool. 

“I'm sorry, Bruce, I shouldn't...”

“No, Clint. It was my fault. And I'm really sorry. I won't harm you, you know,” he asked and the younger man nodded. Slowly he sat down, his eyes still on Bruce, and took Tony's hand. “I just came over because Dr. Rothman called me. She said they want to wake him up today.” 

“I know,” Clint said quietly and used his other hand to caress Tony's cheeks. “I know. I hope...” he licked his lips and looked up at Bruce, “I hope he's okay.” 

“Physically, yes, as far as possible. But there might be damage to his brain...” he said and Clint nodded slowly. 

“I know,” he whispered and pressed his forehead against Tony's hand. “Don't give up, Tony,” he murmured for the umpteenth time. 

“We...” Bruce started but got interrupted by a knock at the door. He looked at Clint and the younger man murmured 'enter' but he was sure whoever was outside couldn't hear him. So Bruce went over and opened the door. 

Dr. Rothman smiled when she saw him and held out her hand. Bruce shook it and together they went to the bed, to Tony. 

“Mr. Barton, I'm here to wake up Mr. Stark,” she said and went to the IV bag. She unplugged the line and removed the bag from the pole. 

“What are you doing?” Clint asked and kept his eyes on her and her hands. 

“I remove the drip infusion with the medicament that kept him in the coma. He should start to regain consciousness very soon,” she explained and Clint nodded.

“And then you can check for brain damage?” He asked. 

Dr. Rothman nodded. “Yes, Mr. Barton,” she said. “But the last tests held a lot of promise.” 

“So, you think he'll be okay?” Clint asked and Dr. Rothman nodded again. 

“It seems so. For further details we need the test but... I think he's going to be okay.” She took the IV bag and went to the door, Bruce followed her.

“Thank you, doctor,” he said and the woman smiled before she hurried away to her next patient. When he turned back Clint sat on the stool again, very close to Tony and whispered into his ear.

“I don't care if you are still world's second smartest person when you wake up, Tony, as long as you remember who you are, who I am, that I love you and that you love me. Anything else... I don't care.” 

Bruce went over to him and carefully, so that Clint could see it coming, he put a hand on his shoulder. “He'll be all right, Clint,” he said and the younger man looked up and then he nodded.

“I know. He's a fighter. He won't stop fighting.” He turned his head to look at Tony. “Do you hear me? You're a fighter. So, fight.”

**Author's Note:**

> [asamandra on tumblr](http://asamandra.tumblr.com/)


End file.
